


Two Short LU Drabbles

by nullberry



Series: Linked Universe [6]
Category: Linked Universe - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Family Bonding, First time writing for Time wow that's intimidating, Fluff, Gen, Look they're just getting close, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, Team Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-19
Updated: 2019-11-19
Packaged: 2021-02-13 01:03:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21485788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nullberry/pseuds/nullberry
Summary: Time wakes up after a nightmare. The youngest of the heroes is on watch.Legend plays his ocarina a lot. Time really wants to know why. A scene between Time and Legend that could be a part of something bigger.These are two very short drabbles I wrote, both as practice with figuring out Time's character and as practice writing in the present tense. They're both under 1000 words, so I've deemed them not long enough to have separate uploads.Without further ado: Two Short LU Drabbles!
Relationships: Time & Legend (Linked Universe), Time & Wind (Linked Universe)
Series: Linked Universe [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1478894
Comments: 2
Kudos: 139





	1. As Lightning Strikes, So Do Memories

**Author's Note:**

> The prompts I used for this were: the old oak tree, storm, scar

_ He walks out, one hand over the tear in his tunic, trying to stop the red from staining everything. There are tears falling from his eyes, but he ignores them, his other arm cradling the Kokiri Emerald against his chest. He doesn't wince at the pain. _

_ He falls to his knees, a sob escaping him as he drops the emerald. He turns his head to glance at the corpse behind him--it's storming, there's rolling thunder; a flash, a boom, the wood splits and breaks apart; he's screaming out in pain-- _

  
  


With no more than a small huff, Time's good eye shoots open. He stays rock-still, his eye glancing every which way. He hears rain in the distance, thunder--the ground beneath him is cool.

He's in a cave. It is shelter from a storm.

He is not alone.

Of course he's not alone. He's with his other incarnations. He is safe. The Deku Tree died a long time ago. That was that. That was fine.

He scratches his nails against the ground, allowing the uncomfortable feeling and sound to ground himself--he can't believe he's having a nightmare about the Deku Tree. As if he was 9 years old again. Like the weak little kid he once was.

No. He is past that. That kid doesn't exist anymore.

So why did his chest feel so heavy?

He sighs, slowly sitting up with his hand reaching to rub the sleep from his eyes. He looks to the mouth of the cave--Wind is on duty--and gives the boy a small nod at the puzzling look he receives.

Wind frowns, but turns back to the outside, his face lighting up as lightning arcs in the sky.

Time takes a moment to check over the group, noting everyone's presence--Legend shifts a bit, but Time pays it no mind. Legend has always had trouble sleeping, but he seemed to be trying, at least.

Time bites his tongue to stop himself from laughing at the sight of Four--some nights he subconsciously cuddled with whoever happened to be near him, other nights he would push others away--overall his sleeping patterns were non-existent. But on this particular night, he has the end of Sky's cloth and Warrior's scarf in his hands, though he was a fair distance from both boys.

He nuzzles the fabrics and Time barely holds back a snort at the sight.

Time startles slightly at the small  _ 'psst'  _ that reaches his ears, and he turns back to Wind. The kid is waving him over, gently patting the ground beside him. Time stares for a moment, before cracking a grin and carefully making his way over.

He sits down with a small grunt, and Wind smiles up at him for a moment before turning back to the storm.

"I took a pictograph of Four."

Time can't help the mischievous grin that appears on his face, and he claps Wind on the shoulder. "Good job, kid."

His grin is met with a small pout. "I'm not a kid…" Time chuckles, and the pair jumps at a sudden roll of thunder.

"You've just been watching this?" Time scans the area outside the cave. Lots of trees. The rain is coming down so hard, it's making the world blur--he squints and nothing clears.

"Yeah. I've sailed in storms like this." Time clenches his teeth, shaking his head at the thought of Wind, alone on rocky waters. "I miss the sea. Those are rough days, but it's home."

Time nods, watching Wind carefully out of the corner of his eye. This kid is still so cheerful and joyful. How has he not grown up?

"It's alright to miss home y'know."

_ That  _ takes Time by surprise.

"Of course. I miss Malon everyday. And I'm sure you miss your sister and grandmother--you whole island." Wind smiles and nods.

"Tetra and the pirates too. I've been spending more time with them--but this isn't about me!" Wind freezes, turning back to the cave and letting out a steady breath seeing no one had stirred. "You miss a home deeper than Malon. When you're with Malon, you still get that faraway look sometimes."

_ Maybe this kid is more grown up than Time had realized. Observant, in the very least. _

"Malon is my home, I don't understand what you're saying, kiddo." Wind's face scrunches up at the nickname again, but he says nothing of it.

"Deep down. I know it. You're still a little kid, missing home. I don't know why, but you are." Wind seems awfully confident in his words, much to Time's growing surprise and confusion.

"How do you know?"

"Because you're like me. Like me if I wanted to be old--but I don't want to pretend to be an adult. I'm plenty experienced as I am." 

Time nods, glancing at the small boy--his eyes are certain and set on the sky. Another flash of lightning, and for a second, in the dim afterlight, Wind almost looks like a kokiri.

But the second is gone. His eyes have adjusted. And for some reason, he feels disappointed.

_ Wait a minute… _

"If you're so happy to be a kid, why do you hate being called one?"

_ "I'm a teenager dammit." _


	2. Legend's Ocarina

Legend practices playing his ocarina  _ constantly. _

It’s beautiful. And yet, as much as Time loves the music, he can’t quite figure out why, of all the things the group has to do--of all the things Legend himself has to do--he always makes time to practice his ocarina.

And as much as Time wants to respect Legend’s secretive tendencies, as much as Time wants to let Legend do what he wants unbothered-- _ Time really wants to know why he’s so dedicated to practicing. _

His curiousity is consuming him, and he honest-to-the-goddesses does not understand why he cannot just leave it be.

Each night he listens as Legend pulls out his ocarina--he plays different tunes, but there is one he plays at least once each evening. Sometimes Time catches one of the other heroes humming it. It’s a beautiful melody, and yet Legend always seems to slouch just a little lower each time he plays it.

_ Time is going to find out what that song is. _

One night, as everyone is setting up camp, chatting, and generally mulling around, Time notices Legend moving to the edge of the camp, his bag in hand. This is normal, this means he’ll be practicing.   
  


Time quickly makes his way over, managing to reach Legend just before he gets the chance to begin playing.  _ Time is not about to try and interrupt Legend’s ocarina practice once begun. _ Somehow however, to Time’s surprise--Legend isn’t annoyed that he was stopped from playing. He simply seems… tired.

“What do you want, Old Man?” he asks with a small smile at the nickname, seeming… at peace. In fact, the night _ is _ peaceful. It’s almost off-putting, with how crazy and high-stress their journey has been.

“You’re… dedicated to playing that. I was curious as to why you play so much, is all.” Time shrugs his shoulders, realizing  _ he probably should have thought about what he would say.  _ Legend gives a small hum in response.

Time can't help but be surprised as Legend  _ actually  _ answers, his usual snark gone. 

“A friend of mine taught me a song. Whenever I played it for them though, they laughed at how bad I was.” He chuckles to himself, and Time can’t help but laugh along. Though he is a bit confused-- _ Legend plays because someone told him he was bad? _

“I wanted to impress them. Sh--they sang beautifully. I can’t really compare but… it’s a nice way to remember them.”

_ Ah. So it was a girl. _

This brings a whole new array of questions to Time's mind, but judging by Legend's usual demeanor after playing, he knows he can't ask.

_ But for Hylia's sake he really wants to. _

"I'm sure they would be impressed with your playing now." Legend smiles, shrugging his shoulders noncommittally.

"No… I have a lot of improving to do. If it's not good enough in my mind, it's not possible that it would be good enough for her."

"I'm sure that's not true--"

"And I'm telling you it is."

Tension filled the sudden silence between them, Legend squinting at Time in almost a challenge.  _ Go ahead. Insist it's not true. _

_ Maybe he's overstayed his welcome. _

With a sigh, Time nods, clapping a hand on Legend's shoulder. He smiles, eyes drifting to the ocarina.

"Play for us again?"

Legend's lips twitch upward for a moment, but as he looks to his ocarina, his smile falls. He seems to ponder something for a minute, before shaking his head.

"Not tonight." Time's brows furrow in confusion at the short answer. He had seemed to want to play…? Legend stands, lightly pushing Time aside as he brings his belongings back to his bedroll, and Time watches, disappointment settling in his mind.

_ "What happened to that girl?" _


End file.
